Here’s a recipe for lasagna, with a twist. Instead of flat layers of noodles, the fillings are placed on one noodle at a time and then rolled up and snuggled into a baking dish lying side by side. It uses a garlicky cream sauce with Parmesan, which makes for a comforting blanket of goodness.
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 4 cups sliced mushrooms – crimini, oyster, trumpet
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 15-oz containers ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¼ cup pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1 lb fresh spinach, or 1 10-oz box frozen, thawed/drained/chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 1/3 tsp dried basil
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh basil and parsley for serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Once warm, add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until browned and cooked through, set aside. Clean out the pan and add remaining olive oil. Once hot, add fresh spinach and a few pinches salt. Cook until fully wilted, remove from pan to cool. Once cooled, squeeze out liquid and coarsely chop. Set aside.
- To make the sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring occasionally – about 1-2 minutes. Add flour and whisk until lightly browned, one minute more.
- Slowly whisk in vegetable broth, thyme, onion granules, basil and nutmeg until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes more.
- Add heavy cream and ½ cup Parmesan and stir until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If too thick, add more heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup sauce evenly into a 9” x 13” baking dish.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain well and lay out flat on parchment paper or foil to prepare for rolling.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, pesto sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. Combine well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Lay out lasagna noodles on a flat work surface. Spread ¼ cup of ricotta mixture onto each noodle. Add spinach and then some of the mushrooms. Roll up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling. Top all with remaining cream sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, until lasagna rolls are heated through and cheese is beginning to brown.
- Top with chopped fresh herbs and serve immediately.